C. Program benefits

This manual is intended for distribution to national and regional ministries and NGOs for decisions on implementing the protocol in local areas. Following the assessment described here, recommendations for effective strategies in a variety of sectors can be defined to improve vitamin A nutrition in vulnerable groups. The activities resulting from this research will be directly applicable to the community in which the research is conducted. However, adaptation to broader regions is possible with program planning and development. While national health planners and vitamin A programs obviously cannot conduct the ethnographic protocol in every ethnic group and region in a country, the local circumstances so described by the protocol give essential rationale for program guidelines and activities.

Ultimately, programs to improve community food use and nutritional status for vitamin A are more likely to be effective and sustainable when local circumstances are considered with credible and useful data, and when the program is implemented locally.